The Algarve is the southernmost region of mainland Portugal, covering almost 5,000 square kilometers (almost 2,000 square miles). At the heart of this beautiful region is its capital, Faro. If you’re planning on visiting the Algarve, you’re likely to fly into Faro International Airport. Once you’ve arrived in this rich, cultural land, there are several ways to get around in Portugal, including using car hire companies at Faro Airport.

If you want to spend your vacation on your own timetable, we’d suggest hiring a car for getting around the Algarve. After you’ve arrived and decided on a mode of transportation, it’s time to get serious about relaxing. While you can drive from Faro in southern Portugal to Bragança in northern Portugal in about six and a half hours, there is plenty to do without leaving the Algarve region. There are many attractions in Faro itself, but today we’ve put together a list of a few things you can do when you leave the city behind.

Visit the Beach

Northwest of Faro, not very far from the airport, is a little offshore island connected to the mainland by a bridge; this is the Praia de Faro (Faro Beach). It is also sometimes called Faro-Mar or Ilha de Faro. Being an island, this beach offers both a lagoon side and a seafaring side. The lagoon side has colorful boats on the water or moored along the slipways. It is a popular location for swimmers and jet skiers alike. On the seafaring side of the island is a glorious stretch of golden sand. The Praia de Faro offers many watersports including windsurfing and sailing.

Hop up to Estói

Just 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) north of Faro, you’ll find Estói, a town typical of the Algarve hinterland. Here you’ll find the Palácio de Estói, a palace that dates back to the late 18th century. While visitors are not allowed inside the palace, there are beautiful, multi-level gardens lavishly decorated with azulejos (Moorish tile mosaics) and busts. There is a grotto located in the lower part of the gardens that is completely covered in mosaics and can be accessed by going down a set of tile steps.

Travel to Historic Silves

Silves is a little country town about 65 kilometers (40 miles) from Faro situated on the Rio Arade and surrounded by cork oak forests. It was once the Moorish city of Xelb, capital of the Al-Gharb. Formerly an intellectual and cultural center to rival Granada, Silves is now a small, charming, old world town with some historically significant buildings. You can visit the Castelo dos Mouros, a massive Moorish castle that rears above the town; the Gothic Cathedral; or Sé, containing the tombs of crusaders. There is also the Archeological Museum in the Rua das Portes de Loulé with exhibits from Silves and the surrounding area.

Go a bit farther to Ponta de Piedade

Another 40 kilometers (25 miles) or so farther down the coast, you’ll find the Ponta de Piedade near Lagos. This is a stunningly beautiful section of coastline with an awe-inspiring collection of natural wonders and a lighthouse perched majestically atop the cliffs. Caves, grottoes and sea arches are among the natural sculptures you’ll find carved from the cliffs below over thousands of years.There are many boat trips that will take you into grottoes, around stone pillars and through natural tunnels. The vast variety of natural wonders coupled with clear water and the warm Algarve sunshine creates a truly magical effect.

No matter what you decide to do while in the Algarve, make sure you enjoy yourself. There’s something for everyone. See the sites, try the food, or just relax on the beaches.

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Portugal’s fine beaches, year-round temperate climate, wonderful food, and friendly people combine to attract many people to our beautiful country. If you’re thinking of visiting our fair country, you’ll want to take two things into consideration: when the best time for your trip is and how you’re going to get around. If you’re not sure when you’d like to visit, you should check out our Seasonal Vacation Ideas in Portugal. However, if you’ve already decided when you’re going to visit, it’s time to decide how you’re going to see the sights. We’ve put together a list of six ways to travel within Portugal.

By Car

If you really want to see the country, but you don’t want to be restricted by a timetable, choosing to hire a car is a great way to see Portugal. This option gives you the best combination of freedom, versatility and traveling ease. You can also take advantage of the unlimited milage generally offered within Portugal to really see the scenic countryside that is off the beaten path. This is also a relatively inexpensive way to see the country, because it’s pretty easy to find cheap car hire in Portugal. You can read about 6 qualities of a good car hire company here on our blog. Continental driving rules apply, meaning that cars travel on the right side of the road, and road signs comply with international rules. Check out our infographic about what car to hire in Portugal.

By Taxi

Travelling by taxi in Portugal isn’t terribly expensive, especially when compared with European standards. A trip across Lisbon or Porto generally costs around €8-13. As with any taxi service, there are often additional charges for luggage, weekend travel and nighttime travel. Even with relatively low prices, it can still add up fast, especially if you’re traveling longer distances. You should be aware that if you’re going to travel throughout the country via bus, train or plane, you’ll probably be using taxis as well, because many railway and bus stations are located far from town centres. In rural areas, there may be no other way to get to your next destination.

By Bus

Bus travel is a cheap way of getting around Portugal. There is a network of buses linking most major towns and cities along with a pretty good network of local lines. Be careful though; there is a wide array of private companies running the bus systems, so it can get confusing. The fares tend to give a pretty good value if you don’t mind structuring your visit around their timetables. Also, you should be aware that many of the local services are reduced or suspended on weekends.

By Train

While there are some very picturesque lines in the north, the Portuguese railway system is underdeveloped, especially compared to some of the more industrialized countries of western Europe. Trains can be a good way to travel between cities and towns if you don’t mind following their timetable. There are strong railway connections between the capital and many major towns, but you’ll still need to use local buses or taxis to travel within the cities or towns you visit.

By Plane

If you’re planning to spend the majority of your time in our bigger cities like Lisbon, Faro in the Algarve, and Porto in the north, you may choose to use air travel to travel between the cities. However, remember that you’ll still need to hire a car or use the bus or taxi services in order to get around the cities.

By Bike

Despite the hilly terrain, cycling is becoming increasingly popular for traveling within Portugal. You can often hire a bike for €10-20 per day, making them a fun and inexpensive way to see nearby sights. If you don’t plan on bringing your own bike, however, it can add up pretty quickly. This is especially true if you’re trying to see a lot of the countryside.

We hope this helps you decide the best method for your travel while visiting Portugal. Whether you’re coming for the historic sites, the beaches, the old churches and monasteries or any other reason, we think you’ll find our country very much to your liking.

Portugal is a great place to visit, and we’re not the only ones who think so. In 2013, there were over 14 million* people who visited our beautiful country. Our temperate climate attracts visitors year round to visit our fine beaches, beautiful churches and monasteries, awe-inspiring historic sites, and vibrant city nightlife. One of the best ways to see our hospitable country is to hire a car for the duration of your visit. This allows you to be on your own timetable and not be held to the schedules of public transportation. If you’re trying to avoid the crowds in Lisbon, you’ll likely fly into Faro Airport, located in the Algarve region of Southern Portugal, and you’ll need to know of good places to hire a car in Algarve. But what makes a good car hire company? There are several things you should look for, and we’ve listed 6 of them below.

Affordable Prices

You’ll want to find a company with affordable prices, but you should be careful when comparing prices between car hire companies. Don’t just pick the company with the lowest listed rates—look for hidden fees. Many companies charge you a reservation deposit then charge you to upgrade, for airport service, and even for an additional driver or a child seat. You’ll also want to ask if you have a limited number of kilometers or miles you can drive without being charged extra and if a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) is included in the pricing. Truly cheap car hire in Algarve should not have any of these additional fees tacked onto your cost.

Good Service

Fast, friendly service is another thing to look for when deciding between places to hire a car in Algarve. Look for a company that has incentives for returning customers. This is a good indication that they have repeat customers who trust them.

Easy Booking

Booking your rental should not be a difficult task. Find a company with easy, online booking and the ability to call and speak with someone at the company directly. You’re looking for cheap car hire in Algarve, not trying to add difficulty to planning your trip.

Convenient Vehicle Pickup

There’s nothing more frustrating after a long flight than having to stand in queues or take a transport bus in order to be able to pick up your vehicle. A good car hire company offers the availability to collect your car at the airport or even have it delivered to your hotel if that is more convenient. There is no reason for the beginning of your vacation to revolve around the location of your chosen car hire company.

Insurance

Every good car hire company offers insurance policies. The policies are designed to cover you in case there is an accident. Choosing to have insurance on your rented car means that you are protected no matter what troubles may arise. The insurance should also cover any damage that may happen to the vehicle.

Good Vehicle Variety and Condition

You don’t want to be stuck with somebody else’s idea of a good vehicle. Look for a wide range of quality, good-condition vehicles. A car hire company that has a good selection of vehicles is set up to help you get the type of car you want, not just the limited types of cars they carry. Additionally, when the company’s vehicles are in good working order, you don’t have to worry about being charged for damage that the car already had when you received it.

Portugal’s food is as diverse as the country’s history. The country’s location on the Atlantic has a huge influence on the cuisine, but Portugal’s former colonies have also had their contribution with the addition of spices like black pepper, piri piri (small, fiery chilli peppers), saffron, cinnamon, and vanilla. Olive oil, which is used for both cooking and flavoring, is a base of many Portuguese dishes.

Main Dishes

The Atlantic influence is found in Portugal’s many fish-based dishes, the most famous of which is bacalhau, or salted cod. Given that each region has its own bacalhau specialty, it’s not surprising that it is commonly said that there are 365 different ways to prepare bacalhau. For example, Porto’s bacalhau à Gomes de Sã is salted cod, olives, and potatoes topped with eggs and onions.

Another meat commonly used in Portugal’s famous foods is pork. A specialty found in central Portugal is leitão, or roast suckling pig. You may also want to try a wine-marinated pork dish garnished with clams called carne de porco à Alentajana. If you’re not really into fish or pork, you can try frango grelhado, a grilled chicken dish seasoned with olive oil, garlic, and piri piri.

Alheira, a sausage served with fried eggs and potatoes, has an interesting history. During the late fifteenth century, Portugal was officially a Christian nation and all Jews were ordered to convert to Christianity or leave the country. King Manuel, however, did not actually want to lose the economic or professional expertise of the Jews. So, when the deadline for leaving the country or converting arrived, he announced that there were no ships available for those refusing to convert. He had men, women, and children baptised by force en masse. In order to not give away their taboo religious affiliation by openly avoiding pork, Portuguese Jews made sausages of chicken and spiced game that only resembled pork. In modern times, the tradition has been broken and alheira often includes pork as an ingredient.

Soup

Many Portuguese meals also include some type of soup. In southern Portugal, you can find the popular Gazpacho soup. Made of cucumber, onions, tomatoes, garlic, chillies, and vinegar, this soup is served cold.

Cheese

Queijo, or cheese, is not an ingredient in most Portuguese recipes. It is often eaten by itself either before or after the main course. Mostly, Portuguese cheeses are made from sheep’s or goat’s milk. The most famous of these, the Queijo de Serra is made in the winter from ewe’s milk coagulated with thistle.

Dessert

You can’t talk about Portuguese food without touching on their famous desserts. The most popular of these is definitely the Pastel de Nata, or custard tarts. The Antiga Confeitaria de Belém bakery in Belem is the most famous place to get this tasty dessert that is basically an egg custard tart.

Salame de Chocolate translates simply to chocolate salami. Don’t worry, it doesn’t contain any meat. This salami is made from cookies, nuts, butter, dark chocolate, eggs, and port wine.

No matter what kind of food you’re looking for, Portugal can probably supply something to fit the bill.

As one of the hottest places to visit and vacation, the Algarve area of Portugal has a rich and vibrant history. When you next go to the Algarve, take some time to try to notice all the influences from various cultures that have made their mark on this gorgeous area in Europe.

Around 1000 BC

While there is evidence that people inhabited the areas around the Algarve since the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, some of the first documented people to live in this area were the Phoenicians. They established ports all along the the coast in order to trade with others via the water.

Around 550 BC

The port known today as Portimão was founded by the Carthaginians following the time of the Phoenicians. Both the Carthaginians and the Phoenicians subsisted for many, many years solely on the resources they were able to glean from the sea.

The 2nd Century

The Romans came on the scene around this time. You can still see many Roman ruins when you tour through the Algarve. These are typically found near the water.

The 5th Century

Around this time, the Visigoths took control of the Algarve area until the 500 years of Arab rule by the Moors. You can see this evidence in the names of many areas in the Algarve starting with the prefix “al” and in the construction of homes with flat roofs.

Early to Mid 12th Century

Following the reign of the Moors, the Reconquista began. Fighting remained until the Moors were eventually pushed out of the area. At this time was when the area’s name changed from “Al-Gharb” to the Kingdom of the Algarve. It wasn’t until the 13th century that the Portuguese regained control of their own land.

The 15th Century

This was a time in the Algarve’s history where the area truly flourished. A navigation school was set up, and many sea voyages left from Portuguese ports. Portugal became a major imperial power due to all their journeys.

1755

The Lisbon earthquake hit this year, followed by a massive tsunami. The devastation from the natural disasters severely hurt the Algarve, and many areas suffered from irreparable damage. Although the epicenter of the earthquake was close to the Algarve, the tsunami actually caused more damage.

Current

Other than a brief period in 1807 and 1808 when Portugal was occupied by Spanish troops, the Algarve has been a relatively autonomous and peaceful area. Despite any misfortune that came their way, the people of the Algarve have always remained warm and friendly, making this a great area to visit.

Different cars have different sized fuel tanks. Knowing how far you can get on one tank of fuel is especially important while using a car for hire. See just how far you can get on one tank by browsing the information below.

Whether you plan on tasting wine or visiting historical monuments while in Portugal, the best way to travel and transport yourself is to hire your own car. See which car would be best for your needs by following this infographic.

As your time with your rental car is coming to a close, it is easy to forget all the things you need to do before bringing your car back to the rental company. But with one quick look at our rental car return checklist, you can be sure that you have gotten everything in order.